Make it easy for website viewers to find out what you do and how to contact you.

Use photos, videos, and concise text to tell your story & what makes you stand out.

Keep it client-focused by talking directly to them, using your own words.

Show testimonials from happy clients.

Also consider including events, menus/ list of services, news about your business.

Add a blog. Sharing authentic or entertaining stories and useful expertise will help readers feel a connection with you and will build credibility. Visit and comment (keep it professional and positive) on other blogs that your customers are likely to visit.

Sponsor local events & organizations (non-profit, social, civic, youth clubs/ sports, etc) that are geared toward your target audience. This will help to increase exposure while also building goodwill with the organizers and the segment of the community that participates in the event. Examples: Business After Hours presented by the Chamber of Commerce, banners on sports fields, START Peninsula

If you can’t do a financial sponsorship, consider offering your services or goods as an in-kind sponsorship/ donation.

Attend Home-Based Business Lunch & Learns and the HBB Conference. You can learn how to improve your business while meeting other small business owners.

Talk to people with whom you do business (your dentist, barber, financial advisor, merchandise manufacturer, etc), ask them whether they or someone they know could use your service, and ask them to post/ share your information.

Thank happy clients for their business, and ask them to write a review on Facebook, Yelp, etc. If you’re asking via email or social media, include a link to the review site to make it easy for them. You could use writing a review as an entry into a contest you host.

Give a few business cards to clients who appreciate your work and ask them to share your information.

Consider starting a referral program (for instance, offering clients 50% off of a session every time someone they refer makes a booking).

Use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Pinterest for business, as relevant. For social media other than LinkedIn, make sure to set up a business account that is separate from your personal account. To save time, try using a post scheduling tool and linking your accounts. For example, you can set an Instagram post to automatically post the same content on Facebook and Twitter. However, you don’t want all your content to be identical on each channel, so tailor some posts to the specific platform (for instance, a 25 second version of a video on Instagram, a GIF on Twitter, and a 90 second version of the video on Facebook).

Post interesting, helpful, mostly original content. The more visual, the better- photos, videos, and relevant memes/emojis/GIFs can all make for more engaging posts.

Post interesting content and share expertise in small, niche Reddit groups that relate to what you do.

Consider occasionally boosting to a targeted local audience. This may be more cost-effective than more traditional forms of advertising.

Use hashtags wisely. Look up which hashtags are trending and use one or two if relevant. Choose one for each of your campaigns/ product lines/ events and use it on all posts related to that thing. The way you use hashtags should vary by platform. For instance, it’s usually ideal to use only one or two on Facebook and Twitter, but you can increase engagement on Instagram by using an average of eleven.

Join niche and local groups, such as York County 411. People are often looking for recommendations and like to have the personal connection. Make sure to avoid only using the group for relentless self-promotion, though, since that will be seen as spamming and you’ll probably be banned by admins. You want to be seen as someone who adds value.

Engage with other relevant pages by liking and commenting on their posts (keep it positive!). The page admins will appreciate it, and their followers will start to recognize your business’ name from seeing it in the comment sections. One page to start with is York County Economic Development's Facebook page (@YesYorkVA), since many of our followers are interested in supporting the local business community.

Start a vlog on Youtube. Simple videos that share tips, insights, how-tos, and/ or stories can connect you to interested people.

Effective methods for using social media change frequently, so follow a good social media marketing blog to stay updated.

The “Be a Local LOVEVA” app allows users to shop with participating local businesses and earn & redeem rewards at whichever ones they choose. When you get listed it increases your exposure, online visibility, and gives you a convenient rewards program. York County Economic Development offers a grant to cover 50% of listing costs for the first year. Learn more here: https://www.yesyorkcounty.com/274/LOVEVA-Listing-Grant

If you’re a subject matter expert of any kind, sign up for HARO to connect with reporters.

When you gain publicity, share it (both digitally and in print as appropriate).

Write an article for publications, especially those in your field. Whether it’s your neighborhood newsletter or a national journal, it can get your name & contact info in print, add credibility, and connect you with a potentially interested audience.

Host a contest. This will be most effective if you define your target audience, goals, budget, strategy, guidelines, and follow-up.

Host a Meetup or other networking event focused on something related to your business.

Apply for business awards. Often you can nominate yourself and encourage your friends and clients to vote for you. If you do receive the reward, display it prominently and share about it online to build excitement and credibility.

If you would like to download and print these ideas, you can find the PDF version here

*Notes: The items on this page are meant only as marketing ideas and are in no way endorsed by York County, nor are the businesses listed herein. Various County permits may or may not be required for some of the listed events or actions.